Walnut Tart

Making this walnut tart takes a few steps and we won’t pretend it’s the quickest dish you’re ever going to make. But don’t worry, it’s actually quite easy to prepare. A true delight for the eyes, nose, and of course, the tongue, this take on a French walnut tart recipe will be a showstopper whether you are serving it at a holiday dinner, a potluck gathering or you’re just making something special for the family.

Just follow the steps carefully and it will come out great the first time you make it. When you bring together ingredients like heavy whipping cream, lots of butter and sugar and walnuts, what could go wrong?

Walnut Tart Ingredients

• Butter: The butter you will use in forming the crust for this tart needs to be softened. Get it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before you begin the prep. And if your fridge is quite cold or if you keep things chilly in your home, give the butter a full hour on the counter to soften completely.
• Sugar: Sugar is essential for a sweet tart so don’t skimp on it. You can always have a healthy salad to balance things out.
• Egg yolk: You just need one egg yolk for this walnut tart. You can save the egg white to make an egg wash for a loaf of fresh bread.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is a peerless kitchen workhorse that makes the perfect tart crust.
• Walnuts: You can’t have a walnut tart without walnuts. Make sure they are coarsely but evenly chopped.
• Brown sugar: As always when you are using brown sugar make sure to pack it before measuring it.
• Butter: This butter needs to be evenly cubed in the filling, so get it out of the fridge right before you are going to chop it.
• Corn syrup: A dark corn syrup works best here to add sweetness but also depth.
• Heavy whipping cream: Note that you need to keep some of the whipped cream separate for serving, so don’t accidentally add all of it to the filling.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the crust

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In a small bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, mixing them until a light and fluffy texture forms. Next, beat in the egg yolk, then gradually add the flour just until everything is blended — the mixture will be crumbly.

Step 2: Bake the crust

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Press the crust onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust at 375°F for 12 to 14 minutes or until it has begun to brown and set. Cool in the crust in the tart pan on a wire rack.

Step 3: Prepare the filling

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Sprinkle nuts over the cooled crust. Then in a small but heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Bring things to a boil and stir the mixture over medium heat for one minute longer and then pour it over the walnuts.

Step 4: Bake the tart

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Return the pan to the baking sheet and then bake the tart at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it’s bubbly. Cool the tart on a wire rack.

Step 5: Whip the cream

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In a small bowl, beat the remaining cream until stiff peaks form. Serve the tart at room temperature with that whipped cream.

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Walnut Tart Variations

Swap out the corn syrup: If you prefer not to cook with corn syrup, you can use molasses or honey in place of it.

Use canned whipped cream: If you want to save yourself a bit of time and effort, instead of whipping your own cream to serve beside the finished tart, just use canned whipped cream. No one will complain!

Mix in some pecans: You can swap out half of the chopped walnuts for chopped pecans, creating a nut medley tart that will have a bit more sweetness.

How to Store Walnut Tart

 You can store any leftover walnut tart at room temperature while loosely covered for up to two days. Placing leftovers in an airtight container or wrap in the fridge will extend the life of your tart to up to five days.

Can you freeze walnut tart?

You can prepare the crust well ahead of making this tart by going through the first two steps. But the tart itself should be made fresh. Let the crust thaw for several hours before commencing with the prep.

Walnut Tart Tips

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What can I use if I don’t have a tart pan?

An 11x7x2 inch baking pan may be used instead of a tart pan.

What should I serve with this tart?

This is a sweet enough treat on its own, especially with the whipping cream. But if you want to take things up a notch, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Can I cut back on the sugar?

Yes! By all means, if this recipe is too sweet for you  just use 1 tablespoon of sugar in the crust and take 1 tablespoon of brown sugar out of the filling.